Dragon Frost
by Miracle-Chan
Summary: Syaoran &Sakura's son grew up an orphan never knowing magic or his powerful destiny... That is until one day, by chance, he meets Eriol &Tomoyo's daughter. Together, the pair discover their entwined fates and also reveal the mysteries of their past. Love,
1. Prologue

Dragon Frost by Miracle-chan

Rating: PG-13

In Short: Syaoran & Sakura's fateful child has the power to destroy dark magic forever... but this prophesy comes at a cost; ever since he was concieved evil has been trying to destroy him and they thought they had succeeded when they killed his parents. Thus Ryushi, the little dragon, grew up without ever knowing his heritage of being heir to the Li clan or the powerful magic blood he possessed; However, chance has its ways of brining the past back and he has a fateful encounter with the bold and beautiful daughter of Eriol and Tomoyo, Emiko. The pair's adventures are lessons of live and love...and above all, fate is something that cannot be escaped 

CCS is © of CLAMP 

|Prologue: Hope| 

_" 'Hope' is the thing with feathers-- That perches in the soul-- And sings the tune without the words-- And never stops at all" -- Emily Dickenson_

-China-

Arrows were spilling down from the sky like rain. A young girl sprang out of the way just as one arrow sank completely into the trunk of an old pine tree where she had been standing just seconds before. "Fly!" She cried as she leapt in mid air and a brilliant pink light sparkled and engulfed her. A few moments later the light faded and a magnificent pair of feathery-white angelwings graced her back. She twirled the pink star wand in her hands and took flight as another shower of deadly arrows began to rain down. 

"Sakura! Get higher up so the arrows won't hit you!" Yue shouted to her as he formed a beam of energy in his palm. Sharp crystals formed in his hand and shot up at the trees off many of the branches. 

A mass of figures dressed in black with black scarves obscuring their faces dropped their bows and arrows and jumped away from the collapsing trees. Sakura's struggled to catch her breath as she she tightened her wings and spiraled upward out of the forest. She looked down to see her two guardian creatures fighting desperately for her. Keroberos was in full form, golden and powerful. His sharp jaw closed around the body of one of the dark figures and crushed his bones and he turned around and let out a rumbling roar. 

Sakura shut her eyes, "Wood!" She summoned flipping out the star card in two fingers and tossing it into mid air. The powerful element spirit released from the card and enveloped in the forest trees below. The roots and branches of the trees seem to come alive as they grew rapidly to surround the dark soldiers and bind their hands and feet. 

"Ahhhh!" Sakura suddenly screamed and nearly doubled over in mid air. She pressed a hand to her budging belly. The child.... 

"Sakura!" Keroberos shot up into the air closely followed by Yue. 

"I-" Sakura gasped feeling dizzy and light headed, "I... The child...I feel-" Sakura struggled to keep aloft but her wings felt dangerously weak and she kept swaying shakily in the air like a bird who'd been shot in the wings. 

"Quick, we must get her to the ground." Keroberos commanded. 

Yue slipped his arms around her and picked her up, "We must find a place to hide before they catch up to us." Yue said looking down at the dark warriors regrouping on the ground below. 

As they flew Sakura felt cold sweat pouring down her face. The child was kicking... A strong wind breezed through Sakura's long auburn hair, Yue and Keroberos had picked up speed. She shut her emerald green eyes.... 

"There's a cave down there." Keroberos spotted through the trees.

"Go check the inside first." Yue suggested cautiously. Keroberos flew off and returned a few moments later. 

"Take her inside, it looked secure enough." 

Yue quickly brought Sakura down to the ground and someways inside the cave and set her gently down on a clean spot of the ground. "Sakura," He asked softly, "How are you feeling?" 

Sakura took a shaky breath, she felt clammy all over.... but she said instead, "I...I'm ok. I think I just got too worried for a moment. I was up in the air...looking down and.." She let out a faint laugh, "Its funny, I've never had a fear of heights before... I'll be ok in a few moments." 

"You should get a little sleep then." Keroberos deep voice rumbled in the cave. Keroberos looked over her with his great golden head covered with armor and it suddenly made Sakura feel a pang of sadness as she looked up at her two loyal guardians. They weren't just her subjects...they were her friends...her family... and the only life she had left... other than the one she carried within her... 

Keroberos use to look so handsome, she thought, in his splendid, soft, golden coat and glistening bejeweled armor... and now he looked more like a gruff wild beast. All the battles they've been through these past 7 years... His armor had gone all dusty and more often than not, his paws were matted with blood. 

Yue had changed too. He didn't look a day older but his glistening silver hair was now thrown back in a messy ponytail to keep out of the way in their numerous combats. He no longer held a stance of cool indifference but rather an even icier "cold-killer" sort of aura. But at the same time, he had gotten closer to Sakura and she knew he had fully accepted her as his mistress and guarded her with his life. 

Sakura shut her eyes to get some rest. They would have to be on the move again if they didn't want to engage in another battle with the dark soldiers... They had come in so much force today that Sakura had a bad, foreboding sort of feeling.... she sensed something.......concluding about the day that was still to come. But for the moment being she just wanted to rest. 

Probably without knowing it, she had changed herself. She was still beautiful, though she had no time to think about beauty these years she'd been running through the backlands of China for her life. She was still gorgeous, if not even more so than when she was young, and she took on more and more of her mother as the days went by. Her captivating green eyes were charming and greener than green as always, and her shiny auburn hair had grown out and always seem to trail in the wind in the most graceful manner. Her figure was trim, despite her protruding belly, and even though the battles she'd been though made her feel about 50 years older, she was still a magical looking 19-year old. 

Suddenly Sakura sat up. The baby was kicking again, but the pain was gone. She was feeling something....almost urgent from the child. "Yue-" She began to gasp just as she saw from the mouth of the cave a dark shadow loom. 

Yue and Keroberos sprang up before her. Their eyes widened. 

Yue cursed angrily, "They've snuck up on us! How could i not have known?! How could I not have sensed them?!"

"There's no time for this!!!" Keroberos growled, "We're trapped! How are we going to get Sakura out?" 

"Sakura," Yue looked over at Sakura who was climbing to her feet, "I sense this cave does not end dead. It leads somewhere. Jsut follow this tunnel and keep going. Just try to keep out of sight." 

"Then let's go!" Sakura grabbed Yue's hand and started to run but he pulled back. 

"No Sakura, you go first. Keroberos and I will stay here to keep them back." Yue told her solemnly. 

"What are you talking about?! There's so many of them out there, you couldn't possibly-" Sakura was caught off with the clang of an arrow hitting a rock just a few feet from her. The dark figures began to pour into the cave like a little army. 

"Go now!" Keroberos cried urgently to her, "Go and we'll catch up!" 

Sakura swallowed. She didn't want to leave them. She knew. She knew if she left them that they would probably never see each other again..... Has it really come to this?

Sakura shut her eyes. The baby inside was kicking so intensely it was like a battle was raging within her. Tears streamed down her face and sparkled in her emerald eyes as she turned her back on her guardians and ran down the tunnel in the cave. As she ran with tears blurring her vision she could hear Kerobero's battle roar and the sparks of Yue's magic dimly lit up the tunnel before her like sparks of lightning. She heard the cries of some dark warrior falling.... She heard weapons clashing.....

She kept running blindly in the darkness before her with only her magic sense to guide her from running into anything. 

She didn't no how long she had been running before she heard footsteps beating from behind her. 

They were after her. 

Keroberos and Yue hadn't been able to hold them after all.... 

She tried to run faster but she felt so heavy and tired and distressed her feet couldn't seem to drag any quicker. 

They were getting closer.

She had to use it...even though she knew when she use magic that the baby- "Dash!" She cried, knowing she had no more options left. She felt the magic energy of the star card envelop her and energy come to her legs. Immediately the cave around her became a blur as she ran faster than the blink of an eye through the cave. 

But the pain came again. She felt the pain in her belly and this time it was much worse than the first. 

The magic from the dash card seemed to rip laterally away from her and she was unable to control her movement. She tripped clumsily over a stone and fell to the ground, landing on her side, her whole body quaking with pain. She covered her belly with her hand and let out a whimper of pain. She almost blacked out...but she forced herself to stay conscious..... She took rapid breaths trying to get up but couldn't.... they were coming. 

The darkly dressed figures emerged a few moments later and surrounded her.... and then one figure came before them all and they parted to let him through. The man looked down at her for a few moments and let out a merciless laugh. "Is this the great Sakura Kinomoto? The Mistress of the Star cards? Successor to Clow Reed himself?" He laughed. 

Sakura crouched on the ground and looked up at him with daggers in her brilliant green eyes, not saying a word. Her teeth were clenched and her beautiful long hair had fallen around her face and obscured half her features from him. 

The man squatted down beside her and lift her chin so he could look into her eyes. He took in a sharp breath, "Your beauty isn't just legend Sakura... what they all say is true." He held a torch light close to her face. After a few moments of silence he turned to his minions and dismissed them with a subtle movement of his eyes. "No one can save you now," He said after they had gone, "We've finally got you in your clutch." He laughed gruffly again. "Do you know who I am Sakura?" 

"You're all the same. Dark soldiers." Sakura growled clenching a fist and her green eyes shone angrily. 

The man threw his head back and laughed. He then grabbed Sakura roughly on the arm and dragged her to her feet. Sakura couldn't help but let a scream of pain escape. The man forced her to her feet and with another hand ripped off the black cloth that covered his features. "I am a dark soldier." He said proudly, "But I'm also the one who killed Syaoran Li." 

Sakura's eyes widened. She looked at him with shocked hatred. 

"That's right." The dark warrior hissed in her face, "I killed your beloved wolf.... the Li clan leader. The father of your unborn child." The man laughed a roaring, terrible laugh and looked at her with a prideful gleam in his eyes, "It has what made me the leader of leaders in the dark clan. Its what got me title and power. And now, I'll be famed even more for being the one to kill Sakura Kinomoto...and her child." His crazed laugh echoed in the cave. And then he stopped laughing. He caught the expression on Sakura's face. He stopped to stare, shocked. 

She was smiling. And the smile scared him. "What are you smiling for?" He demanded, "Your death day has come. Do you find your own demise amusing? You have lost! Darkness has won!" 

Sakura smiled without a single hint of fear in her eyes, "You're the one that should be scared." She said quietly, "In fact, I think you _are_ scared." 

"What are you talking about?" The dark warrior narrowed his eyes dangerously, his face just inches from hers. 

"You're scared because you know the prophesy. Your scared because you know fates can never be tampered with. And you know, that my child will destroy you all." She looked straight into his eyes, "He'll be your end." 

The dark warrior seemed to waver for a moment but in the next second his uncertainty vanished. "Me? Scared? HA! I'm the strongest of dark clan leaders and I fear no one. Certainly not a helpless unborn child!" he paused for a moment and the continued, "Now, don't try to intimidate me anymore Sakura Kinomoto. Your end has come." He drew back a little and unsheathed a small dagger from his belt. 

Sakura backed away from him. 

"Its such a pity I have to kill you. I would have kept a pretty girl like you for myself if you weren't carrying that bloody child. I'm not scared, as you say for I fear no one. But I know enough magic that I know I must take precautions." The man grinned evilly and the knife gleamed in the torch light. "You can't get away pretty Sakura." He backed her into the cave wall. 

Sakura's big green eyes stared at him with a look that took him aback. She didn't look scared.... she didn't look sacred at all! But how could this be?! That same look.... it had haunted him... He recognized that look. Syaoran Li had give him that same look before he had killed him. They had that same, confident, strong look shinning in their eyes. And that look made his very soul shiver. Like he was missing something.... "You..." He hissed, "You say I'm scared?!" He cried angrily, "Well we'll see about that..." He forced a harsh laugh, "That child you're carrying.... you say he'll be my end? Well how can he be my end, when he's dead?" 

The dagger glistened for a moment in the light and then he plunged it with all his strength forward at her belly. 

The moment seemed unreal to Sakura.... almost in slow motion. In that moment everything seem to become blurry. 

_No_, her thoughts echoed in her head as she watched the deadly blade come toward her, _This can't be the end._

And then she felt a warm energy rise from her belly...... the child. She could feel magic. The child's magic. It felt warm and powerful. 

And then in the next moment, she was no longer in the cave. 

The dark warrior stared. He was stunned by what had happened. His hand had hit mid air. His blade was gone. There had been a blinding flash of light. He blinked. She was gone. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" He screamed in a terrible rage that shook the very depths of the cave. 

-100 miles away in a rural village- 

The mountain backland villages of china didn't see many unusual things. Once in a while they might spot a panda or two, or maybe a bangle tiger in the forest, but certainly never anything...supernatural. 

A group of children were playing ball outside their rickety grass huts and wooden homes that were built in long rectangular rows. Their parents were working in the fields. It was a day like any other. 

"Hey Chong! Get the ball!" His friends were shouting to him. 

The little boy ran down the dirt path after the colorful rubber ball. "I got it!" he shouted to his friends. Just as he set his hand on the ball a great, sparkling flash of white and pale pink light blazed before him. He stumbled backwards and fell down, shielding his eyes with his arm and staring in awe at the sparkling energy before him. And then the light faded and the dust cleared. 

The little boy coughed and stared. There was a young girl doubled up on the ground where the light had been. She looked deathly pale and seemed to be in great pain. He rubbed his eyes.... was he seeing things?! 

"Hey Chong what are you-" his friends came running and paused when they saw the pretty girl, "Whose that Chong?" they asked. 

"I- She-...I" Chong couldn't find the words to describe what had just happened, he just stared in awe. 

"Hey lady, are you alright?" one child ventured forward and peeked cautiously over the shoulder of the girl laying motionless on the ground. Another child bravely reached out to gingerly shake her shoulder. 

The girl took in a sharp breath and flipped herself over. All the children gasped. Some screamed and covered their eyes. She was bleeding. She had a dagger stabbed deeply in her stomach right above her budging belly. 

"Go get mother and father!" Some older kids who got to their senses and ordered some other children running off to the fields to find an adult. Soon some came running in from the field. 

"Give her room!" One lady called and another ushered the younger kids into the house. 

"Doctor Tai, take a look at her will you?" One man called as another hurried forward. A small circle of people begin to form around the girl. She was deathly pale and covering the puncture with one hand and her breath was coming shakier and shakier. The blood was beginning to spill over... 

"Miss can you hear me?" The doctor asked bending over the girl and checking her eyes to make sure she was conscious, "Miss?" 

The girl swallowed with great difficulty, "Please..." She whispered in a barely audible voice, "Please...save my child..." She coughed up some blood and reached out and grabbed the doctor's hand. 

The doctor stared and then slipped a hand over her belly. His eyes widened. "We've got to get this girl inside! She's going into labor!" 

The girl looked like she was coming in and out of consciousness now..... she felt her baby kicking...fighting to be born...to live.... She whispered sadly, "I'm sorry my child...i won't be able to take care of you..... but i still love you and perhaps some ay we'll meet again...." She felt her breath leaving her body slower and slower. She could barely make out what was happening around her....... 

She made the greatest effort, all her last energy to pull out her last words, "Hope," She said in a hushed voice, "never dies. Syaoran...... I'm coming to be with you." her lips formed a smile. 

And then her spirit left her body and drifted up into the heavens to join her beloved in the stars. 

|Owari prologue|

Author's note: Wow...that sounds more like an ending than a beginning doesn't it? ^^;; but it doesn't end there! Its just the beginning! As you can probably tell now this story isn't going to be all fluff and bubbles. It sounds a little semi-dark/angst at the moment, but that's not where the entire plot is going to be headed. I'm hoping to add lots of twists and turns into the story so stayed tuned. 

So... how can the story continue when our heros Sakura and Syaoran are dead..? Well there'll be a new generation of magicians of course! ^^ Keep reading to find out.... 

Comments and suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks ^^

~Miracle-chan


	2. Every Sword's Story

Dragon Frost by Miracle-chan

Chapter One: Every Sword's Story

"Flight 37D from Hong Kong has arrived on time in port 37." The announcement blared and echoed through the crowded airport.

A scrawny and unruly boy stepped off the plane and into the Tokyo airport terminal and gazed around. His fathomless, striking forest green eyes gazed around at the crowds of people gathering around the exit of the plane greeting family and friends that have come to pick them up. He wasn't looking for anyone himself though; there was no one to pick him up, he had come to Japan alone.

He didn't look the least bit scared or nervous though. He looked too old to be a boy, yet too young to be a man. At sixteen years old, Ryushi Luo had learned how to take care of himself. Ryushi tossed his head to shake some rebellious, spikey bangs that fell over his eyes. His hair was a deep auburn shade. it was a rich chocolate brown that seemed to shine golden underneath. He readjusted his shoulder bag over his arm and proceeded to the luggage claim to pick up his bags.

He found them immediately found them since there were only two. He didn't have many possessions and all he owned were contained in these two luggage bags. That, however, did _not_ mean he didn't own anything of value. Until a week ago, it would have been true that Ryushi didn't possess anything worth stealing... but now, there was something he treasured more than anything else in the world.

Ryushi unzipped the larger of the two suitcases and and pulled out a package wrapped in brown paper. _Good_, the thought to himself, _Its still here. _He felt relieved; Nothing was ever a hundred percent safe on an air plane. He wrapped his fingers rightly around the long object encased beneath the stiff paper. This was most important thing he had ever come to own. He slipped the long packaged back into his luggage and zipped up the suitcase then took the handles and walked out the doors of the airport and into the unfamiliar downtown streets of Tokyo.

He looked around as the breeze of the passing taxis and busses whipped through his hair. It looked a bit like Hong Kong... except everything was in Japanese. But he had learned a bit of Japanese from his master before all of this- and now he wished he would have studied a little harder... O_h well, I'll figure it out. Hopefully I won't have to resort to gesturing in sign language..._ Ryushi thought to himself absently. He noticed a small cafe a few blocks away and headed toward it. He was pretty hungry and thirsty. His first ride on an airplane, even the short 3 hour flight still gave his stomach lurches, so he wasn't able to eat much, but now he felt famished!

"Deli sandwich and a bottle of orange juice." Ryushi ordered at the counter and dug out his wallet from his pocket.

The waiter who was a middle aged man with fading hair looked him up and down and asked with a smile, "You traveling kid?"

Ryushi nodded, "I guess you could say that."

"You look a bit young to come from very far." The man observed, "How old are you?"

"Sixteen." Ryushi replied.

"Ah," the man laughed, "And what's that? A boy or a man?"

Ryushi gave a small half-smile, "A boy when he's rich, a man when he's poor. So that'd make me a man."

The man laughed at that, "I like your attitude son. You're a fine looking boy. Tell you what, this one's one me."

Ryushi blinked and then grinned, "Thanks then." He took his food and found a seat by the window that looked out at the busy streets. He felt content as he munched on his sandwich. There was nothing like a free meal... he had learned that over the years. And now, more than ever, he needed all the money he could get. He had been an orphan all his life after all.

He gazed over the unfamiliar streets... the unfamiliar city. He had no idea how long he would be here. Or what exactly he'd encounter. All of this was a like a sort of gamble. But he had not much to loose anyways. Ryushi reached down to his suitcase once more and pulled out the paper-wrapped package. He undid the string holding it together and gentling unrolled the paper. He raised his eyes and scanned his surroundings quickly for a moment to make sure he wasn't being particularly noticed and then reached inside the packaging and pulled out the sword.

The sword was a breathtaking piece of weaponry. It wasn't especially large or ornate. It didn't glitter like fresh-minted metal and the tint of it suggested it had seen quite its shares of bloody battles, but never the less, it was very unusual- and eye catching. Ryushi held the hilt firmly in one hand a ran two fingers down the sleek side of the blade. The hilt was bronze, deeply overlaid with a rich gold and swirled in a circular pattern and broadened in a wing-like fashion at the end of the handle of the sword joined with the sleek silvery blade. The end of the sword dangle long, crimson tassels and the entire sword was surprisingly light and movable considering its formidable length.

Ryushi suddenly had an urge to swing the sword around- but managed to contain himself. He reluctant slipped the weapon back into its packaging and stuffed it away in his luggage.

Ryushi gazed out at the surrounding streets of Tokyo city, recalling the day, just weeks ago, when he had received this distinctive possession...

_-flashback- _

_"Master." Ryushi bowed respectably to the old man seated beside the tea table, "You called for me?" he asked, raising his head slightly. _

_"I did. Come in Ryushi and sit down." Master Luo replied, motioning to the empty mat beside him. _

_Ryushi complied and seated himself beside his old master and poured him some tea. Master Luo took the tea and sipped some and sighed with content. Every time Ryushi had looked at his martial arts master, he knew somewhere, deep in his heart, that the wise man was getting old. He had come to know Master Luo when he was six years old, and for the past ten years, his master had been like a father to him. Teaching him everything he knew and did. He looked up to him, admired him, and loved him. _

_Master Luo was the sort of man, though obviously ridden with age, whom you could tell use to be strong and powerful. His build was not at all frail, despite his adding years, and though his hair was graying, he looked full of wisdom and calmness. Ryushi could never once remember a time when Master had been impatient or panicked. He had brilliant, shinning eyes that made anyone want to open up their problems and speak the truth. There was, Ryushi had noted over the years, a very faint, almost unnoticeable but definite, scar on his right cheek. Down the full length of it. It was most definitely a blade scar as far as he could tell, but his master had never spoke of it so Ryushi had never asked. _

_Ryushi had been passed around from orphanage to orphanage ever since he was born, and ever since he could remember. It wasn't until he met Master Luo that he really found a place to stay. Master Luo had been the master of the martial arts joto for orphans for many years, but he and Ryushi developed a specially bond. Ryushi had even taken on Master's last name since he had never had a last name of his own. _

_Born an orphan, abandoned in several small villages had left Ryushi no connections to his past. Not even his name. He knew his name Ryushi meant Dragon Frost" given to him because he was born in the frosty winter months, and he had fought his way into the world like a little dragon. He knew his parents were most likely dead, he remembered vaguely talk of the death of his mother upon giving birth to him. Some had even said he was sort of a "miracle child" born after his mother was already dead. But all this seemed to be mere speculation. _

_"You turned sixteen a few weeks ago." Master Luo said in his ever-calm voice and took a sip of tea. _

_Ryushi nodded. It hadn't been that big of a deal. He hadn't even been sure that was his real birthday- December 18th. Its just been a day he picked for the sake of having one and it sort of stuck around. Ryushi never needed a "birthday" to feel older, he had been forced to grow up when he wandered on the streets, homeless, for ever since he could remember. _

_Master Luo reached for something on the floor beside him that had been obscured by his robe. With a swish only martial-arts trained eyes could track, Ryushi saw a mere glisten of light as the object his master whipped the object from the floor with a quick flick of his wrist. _

_Ryushi looked up and saw the sword. _

_It took his breath away... The way it caught the light. The sleek, sharp blade. The intricate carving on the handle... the bold, red tassels... It seemed almost majestic. Ryushi had never seen another piece of weaponry like it, and he had seen plenty. _

_"This, Ryushi, is for you." Master Luo said, his eyes twinkling in delight at Ryushi's obvious stunned silence. _

_Ryushi's green eyes widened even more, "Master..." Ryushi didn't know what to say...his head was full of questions...and for some reason his fingers curled with anticipation and he felt as if his heart was pounding with excitement. _

_Master Luo laughed, "Ryu, before you say anything there is something you should know. This sword is not mine. It is yours. It never was mine. In fact, I think it has been intended for you all along."_

_Ryushi blinked, "What do you mean?" he asked, thoroughly confused. _

_"This sword was mailed to me by an unnamed sender without return address. Untraceable, unidentifiable. It came on the day of your birthday in fact." His dark eyes fixed on Ryushi strongly. "I have a feeling someone really wants you to have this sword." _

_The idea turned itself over in Ryushi's head. Someone wanted him to have the sword? The idea seemed to strange. he didn't have any friends far away or relatives. Who would _mail _him anything, and for that matter, a _sword_? It seemed all very strange and unreal.... "Then... I don't think this sword belongs to me." Ryushi replied reluctantly. _

_"Why's that?" His master asked patiently. _

_"Because. It wouldn't make sense." Ryushi replied logically, "You know I'm an orphan. I've got no past, no parents, no family. You're my only family. Who would send me something like this? This sword's obviously some sort of antique or something... it can't be intended for me. There must be some mistake." _

_His master merely smiled and shook his head, "I assure you Ryu, this sword IS for you. The packaging was very clear along with this typed letter." Master Luo handed Ryushi a plain sheet of paper that simply read: _

_Master Luo:_

_Please give the enclosed package to the young Ryushi under your care. This belongs to him and I only wish to return it. Ryushi will need this. _

_Ryushi looked up from the note. His master shut his eyes briefly and spoke, "Ryushi, take this sword." _

_"But Master-" _

_"Just take it." His master commanded in a sterner voice. Ryushi forced himself to swallow his questions and reached out to take the sword from his Master's hand. As soon as he curled his fingers around the handle he felt entranced with it. He liked the feeling. The sword fit perfectly in his palm. His fingers went nearly all the way around and the weight and balance of the weapon was just right. Not too heavy, not to light. _

_His master opened his eyes, "Now, stand up and give it a try." he instructed. _

_Ryushi stood and gave a small respectable bow to his master then walked to the other end of the open room. He turned to face him and drew the sword back in one hand to focus his energy. Then he swung it forward. He was amazed out how crisply it had cut through the air. Ryushi had been too poor most of his life to afford any fine weaponry such as this. He sword was sleek in his hand and he swung it upward s then backhand. He jumped up to kick and flipped over in mid air and slashed the sword up at the sky. It felt great. He felt so empowered for some reason. he landed back on his feet and looked over at his master for approval. _

_His master stood up and walked over to him, placing both hands on his shoulders, "Ryushi, you and this sword have a dynamic. Have no more doubts. This sword is indeed yours." _

_Ryushi nodded feeling the pleasant rush of blood and adrenaline rush through him from his small exercise of swordplay. _

_"Now, I have something else for you." His master reached one hand into his robe sleeve and pulled out a small square of paper. He handed it to Ryushi and Ryushi looked down at it questioningly. _

_"A plane ticket?" Ryushi was more confused than ever. He looked up at Master Luo. _

_"To Tokyo." Master Luo answered and turned to slowly pace his way back to the tea table. _

_"I don't understand." Ryushi looked down at the ticket then back at his master. _

_"I know swords," Master Luo continued, "And this sword is a Chinese family emblem sword. Passed down in families from generation to generation. It is like the European shield or code of arms. A code of honor and identity. This may be the link to your past Ryu" _

_Ryushi's dark eye brows furrowed. His past? But.... he was an orphan..... _

_"I always knew you were a different sort of boy." Master Luo said to him, "The first moment i laid eyes on you I knew I had to train you. You had the potential... or the "air" of a great fighter. You had the fiercest green eyes I had ever seen. And I've been training martial arts all my life, and you know I've never encountered any student like you. That's why I took you in as my adopted-son." Master Luo sighed, "I knew you had a past also though. Boys with such talent as you don't just come up off the streets. You may be an orphan Ryu, but you aren't without family, or a past." Master Luo fingered the sword, "And this may be your clue." _

_A few moments of silence followed before Ryushi spoke again, " But Master.... I still don't understand...why Tokyo?" _

_"This sword may be of Chinese origin," his master explained, "But it it had this patch attached to one of the tassels." The master held up a small patchwork in his fingers. It was only about the length of his pinky and had simple wing like ends attached to a colored center piece. It looked like some sort of school or club badge.... "I did some research and found this was the official school patch for an elementary school in a city near Tokyo called Tomeoda." _

_"Tomeoda..." Ryushi said softly to himself. _

_His master walked over and placed the patch in his hands, "Do you understand now?" he asked. _

_"Master..." Ryushi once again was at a loss of words. This all was so sudden. The sword, the patch, and suddenly he had a past.... "You...won't be coming with me?" the moment these words left his mouth, Ryushi regretted it. They sounded childish and stupid, he knew that. It was just....he had never been out this chinese province before.... much less out of the country. And by himself? In search of.....what? What exactly was he in search of...? His past? Parents that are already dead? _

_Ryushi wasn't sure. He didn't know._

_"Of course not." His master laughed, "This is your journey alone Ryu." _

_Ryushi nodded solemnly and swallowed, "oh.... But Master," Ryushi said seriously, "I...I won't ever see you again?" _

_His master looked at him for a long moment and there was a long silence. Too long. His master had been like his father all these years.... And he was leaving him. "No, probably not." He replied finally._

_Ryushi had known the answer before it had left his lips. Of course he wouldn't. Going to Tokyo in search of a past based on two very slight clues was not a thing you could accomplish overnight. It might take months, years.... And besides, it would take all the money Ryushi had saved up for himself doing little minimum wage jobs over the years. If he went, he wouldn't have the money to come back. _

_"I'm not sure I can go then." Ryushi said, feeling conflicted. _

_His master laughed at that, "Don't stay here because of me!" he exclaimed, "I may be your master but I am not your life. Your life is out there!" he motioned to the window and doors, "The world is still full of things for you! You can't stay at this joto forever. Go have your adventures." he smiled, "Like I did, when I was young." _

_"I- I don't know." Ryushi hated being indecisive and not having a feeling of control or stability in his life but that's exactly how he felt at the moment. _

_His master shook his head sadly, "You do know Ryu. I know the world out there beckons to you, of all people. Your air is of the world. Not of a single place. Your fights are still to be fought...out there. I am but an old man now. There is nothing left for you here. Nothing left for you to stay for. I was young once, but now I am old. I've had my share of adventures but now its your turn. There is nothing more I can teach you except this: Find out who you are." _

_Ryushi's fingered tightened around the sword in one hand and the small patch in the other. He knew it was true. He had always, underneath all of the "toughness" longed to know who he truly was. His past. He knew it was a mystery...and he wanted to know why. _

_"Remember this Ryushi," His master added as he saw the determined look come over Ryushi's features, "All the clues you need is right here." He set one firm hand on each of Ryushi's and then tapped his heart, "Its a saying among ancient sword's craftsmen that 'Every sword has its story', and I'm sure this sword's has many tales to tell. Now you just have to find what it is." _

_-end flashback- _

Ryushi looked up from the table and his food. He looked up at the skies of Toyko. He didn't know what his sword's story would be. He hadn't evne the slightest clue what sort of advetures it would lead him to embark on. He didn't know that his sword's story would lead to bloodshed, would lead to new beginnings, and every emotion locked in the human soul. He did not know that this sword's story was one of love, hate, power, life, and death. BUt he did know, that every sword had a story.

And he was going to find his.

Owari Chapter One

Author's note: Sorry for the long gap between posting. I had most of this chapter knocked out, but then hit May and I had major college prep testing at the beginning of this month. But now its over! So I can post agian! Yay! I hope you liked it, and whether you did or not please leave me a comment to let me know what you think! Reviewers from the pologue thank you so much for you lovely comments! I'm working on developing the character Ryushi...so what do you think of him so far? Let me know!

Miracle-chan


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